Quinnipiac Readies for Thursday Night Home Contest vs. Monmouth

Thursday, November 12

Hamden, CT

7:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

Monmouth

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Tayeshawn Cunningham-Pemberton vs. Bryant (11/5/26 in Hamden, CT)

Photo by: Rose Carrotta

11/11/2026 6:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball

By: QU Athletic Communications

Quinnipiac (2-1, 0-0 Metro) at Monmouth (0-2, 0-0 CAA)
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026 | 7:00 PM
M&T Bank Arena | Hamden, CT
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Quinnipiac Game Notes

HAMDEN, CT – Quinnipiac men's basketball readies for its second home contest of the season on Thursday night, playing host to CAA foe Monmouth at 7:00 PM from M&T Bank Arena.

LAST TIME OUT: ROAD VICTORY at VERMONT (11/8)

Tai Turnage scored 11 of his team-high 17 points in the second half, and Lucas Sekasi hit a clutch go-ahead three-pointer in the final minute as the Quinnipiac men's basketball team rallied past Vermont, 79-76, on Sunday afternoon at Patrick Gymnasium.
The Bobcats outscored UVM 42-36 during the second half. Quinnipiac finished on a 15-8 run over the final 5:17 of action.
The game was tied eight different times, and there were six lead changes in the back-and-forth battle.
Keith McKnight turned in a strong all-around performance with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 steal.
Lucas Sekasi tallied 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, capped by the game-winning triple. Sekasi is averaging 10.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game through three contests.
Ali Diouf added 12 points off the bench. Diouf went 3-for-3 from the free throw line.
Tom Pecora and the Bobcats finish 2-0 in America East - Metro Challenge action. Quinnipiac defeated Bryant 66-56 on 11/5 in Hamden.

SCOUTING MONMOUTH

The Hawks are 0-2 so far this season, falling against St. John's (78-63) and Rhode Island (84-66).
Madison Durr leads Monmouth in scoring (13.0 PPG) through two matchups. He scored 15 points against St. John's in the season opener.
Jakai Sanders has chipped in with 12.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 2.5 APG in 2026-27.
King Rice has been on the Monmouth sideline for 15 seasons and leads the Hawks into his 16th in 2026-27. In February 2022, Rice became the winningest Division I Head Coach in Monmouth Basketball history. He has 239 victories to his credit, as well as a trio of MAAC Coach of the Year honors and three MAAC regular season titles.

THE RETURN OF KEITH MCKNIGHT

Sophomore forward Keith McKnight returns following an All-Rookie selection in 2025–26.
McKnight was a unanimous selection for the Preseason All-Metro First Team.
The Teaneck, New Jersey native played in all 32 games as a freshman, averaging 11.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 54.6% from the floor (136–249).
McKnight opened his sophomore campaign with 8 points and 6 rebounds in 25 minutes at Michigan State.

MEET THE 2026–27 BOBCATS

Returners (7): Keith McKnight, Jayden Reid, Tai Turnage, Nate Guerengomba, Christopher Skenderi, Braylan Ritvo, and Akintola Akinniyi.
Transfers (5): Lucas Sekasi (Gannon), Nas Hart (La Salle), Tayeshawn Cunningham-Pemberton (Assumption), Holden Pierre-Louis (Cleveland State), and Mike Parrotta (St. Thomas Aquinas).
First-Years (3): Malik Fields (Bronx, NY), Ali Diouf (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada), and Nedas Cholevinskas (London, England).

PRESEASON POLLS

Quinnipiac was selected No. 6 overall in the Metro Preseason Coaches' Poll with 109 votes.
The Bobcats were named the preseason favorite in the Blue Ribbon Metro Forecast, while Keith McKnight was named Blue Ribbon's Preseason Player of the Year.

THE NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
Quinnipiac's non-league schedule features 11 games, including five home matchups at M&T Bank Arena:

Nov. 2: at #6 Michigan State (L, 59–96)
Nov. 5: vs. Bryant (Home Opener / America East – Metro Challenge)
Nov. 8: at Vermont (America East – Metro Challenge)
Nov. 12: vs. Monmouth
Nov. 15: at Central Connecticut State
Nov. 19: vs. Maine
Nov. 24: vs. Emerson
Nov. 29: at Yale (Battle of Whitney Ave)
Dec. 12: vs. Hofstra
Dec. 19: at UCLA
Dec. 21: at Pepperdine

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF QUINNIPIAC MEN'S BASKETBALL

The Quinnipiac University Men's Basketball program has officially launched its 75th Year Celebration campaign, marking a milestone anniversary for the university's inaugural varsity athletic program.
Since its inaugural season in 1951–52, the varsity men's basketball team has served as an integral cornerstone of the Quinnipiac and Hamden communities. Over its 75-year history, the program has earned 1,053 overall wins, including 420 victories since making the transition to the NCAA Division I level in the 1998–99 season.
The season-long golden anniversary celebration will feature events, promotions, and interactive initiatives designed to honor every era of Bobcats basketball.
Alumni Day: The Bobcats will welcome back all former student-athletes to Hamden on Feb. 21, 2027, for Alumni Day as QU takes on Mount St. Mary's.
Social Media Campaign & Fan Giveaways: A dedicated season-long campaign will spotlight iconic moments, players, and teams from the past 75 years on social media using the hashtag #QUMBB75. Fans and alumni of all ages can look forward to exclusive anniversary giveaways throughout the season.

HEAD COACH TOM PECORA

Tom Pecora will enter his fourth season as Head Coach at Quinnipiac University in 2026–27. Pecora – a veteran with 17 years of experience as a head coach at the Division I level – has guided the Bobcats to a 65–37 overall record during his first three years at the helm of the program.
He captured back-to-back league Coach of the Year awards after leading Quinnipiac to two consecutive regular season championships in 2023–24 and 2024–25.
Pecora just completed his ninth season in total with the Bobcats (previously served as Associate HC from 2017–2023). He was announced as Quinnipiac's next Head Coach on Thursday, April 13, 2023.
Pecora has guided his teams to a 326–293 record during his career as a collegiate Head Coach (HC stops at SUNY Farmingdale, Hofstra, Fordham, and Quinnipiac).
He reached 300 total wins on Feb. 14, 2025, after helping lead the Bobcats to a win over Sacred Heart on ESPNU. Quinnipiac has won 149 total games during Pecora's time on staff (since 2017).
Pecora has coached NBA players at his previous two stops as head coach – Speedy Claxton, Norman Richardson, and Charles Jenkins (at Hofstra), and Eric Paschall (at Fordham).
As a head coach at Hofstra, Pecora compiled a 155–126 mark in nine seasons, leading the Pride to four postseason appearances (three NIT and one CBI), the most for any New York City team over that nine-year span. In 16 years at Hofstra with Pecora on the staff (nine years as a head coach, seven as an assistant), the Pride averaged 19 wins a season (246–161).
During his time in Hempstead, Hofstra was the winningest program in the Metropolitan New York area. Over his last six years, Hofstra won 121 games, including four 20-win seasons. In 2006 and 2009, he was named Coach of the Year by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) and he also received regional Coach of the Year honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY).

To stay up to date with all Quinnipiac men's basketball news, follow the program on X/Instagram @QU_MBB or visit www.gobobcats.com/mbb.